Cats Cloth Nappy Trial!

[Cat]

Well here we go, This morning my nappy trial arrived from www.babykind.co.uk. For anyone interested in doing a trial themselves you can put together a trial back to your own requirements (as many or as few types as you like) each nappy or wrap costs £1.50 for a ire period of 2 weeks, and an admin charge of £5. Plus they throw in wipes, boosters, liners, wet bag instructions etc. You pay a £70 deposit and once you return the kit this is refunded minus your trial fee. If you then decide to purchase from the site you recieve a further discount off your first order. The advantages of this mean you dont shell out a load of money for nappies that perhaps you end up not getting on with, but also because the nappies have been used you are trialing them at full asorbency (some nappies take up to 8 washes to reach full absorbency, so if you bought new if would be a while before you found out how good they were). So anyway y hire kit has cost me a total of £23 and consists of the following:
2 x Motherease One Size (Terry)
2 x Bumbles (Terry)
2 x Tots Bots Bamboozles (Bamboo)
2 x Tots Bots Fluffles (Microfibre)
1 x Motherease airflow wrap
1 x Motherease riki wrap
1 x Nature Babies Wrap
1 x Tots Bots Wrap
(all PUL wraps, although you can also get fleece or wool)
Plus accessiories of assorted fabric boosters, fleece liners and paper liners etc.
https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/-Cat-/DSC00214.jpg

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Both the tots bots (microfibre and bamboo) nappies feel the softest, and feel really nice and fluffy. The terry ones are a bit rough to the touch like old towels. I like the fact the fluffle also has a built in fleece liner, as this is ment to help with keeping baies bum dry, being built in this is one less thing to have to hold in place whilst putting it on bub. The Bumbles look the most complicated as they have a lot of poppers on the front for differnt adjustments, but I can imagine it being hard to button the right ones when changing a wriggly baby. Also the Motherease nappies look to be quite wide between the legs, which although prob good for containment of poo is prob quite restrictive on a newborn.
As for wraps, I dont know how Im going to get on with a lot of them being velcro, as Noah straight away tried to pull it off! Although I like the leg gussets on the tots bots and nature babies wraps as they look like they will be good at keeping baby dry.
The disposable liners are not what I thought, they are like bounty kitchen paper! I will prob use disposable liners as noah has quite sticky poo and I dont think OH will be so up for changing him if he has to them rinse them off into the loo.

So on with the trial . . . . .
11:00 First up is the Tots Bots bamboozle, with only the built in booster and a disposable wrap, with the nature babies wrap. Nappy was easy enough to put on even though Noah insisted on standing up for the change. Fit is nice looks much like a disposale on, just a bit bulkier round the waist. Wrap fitted well over the top, although if I had him without trousers on he would prob be able to pull it off! And importantly his trousers fit over the top of the nappy fine.
https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/-Cat-/DSC00218.jpg

 

[Cat]

Right well I have changed my first nappy, due to Noah falling asleep at just after 2:00 I have only just got to change the bamboozle, meaning it has been on for a stonking 5 and a half hours!! And it haddent leaked! the nappy its self was pretty wet at the front but it had managed, so Im very impressed! Im however less impressed at the liner. I think he woke up cause he had done a little poo, and the liner had manged to scrunch itself up between his buttocks so only caught some of what was only a small amount of poo and the rest had stuck to the sides of the nappy so this was rubbish! But his bum felt pretty dry and he seemed happy enough.

So next up I have opted for a fluffle, although this feels nice its considerably bulkier on, The wrap just about covers it all but if I were to stick a booster in it for night time use the nature baby wrap would not go over it Im pretty sure, So I will have to opt for roomier night time wraps. Trousers just about made it over.

 

[Minxy]

Im however less impressed at the liner. I think he woke up cause he had done a little poo, and the liner had manged to scrunch itself up between his buttocks so only caught some of what was only a small amount of poo and the rest had stuck to the sides of the nappy so this was rubbish! But his bum felt pretty dry and he seemed happy enough.

They always do this!

Did you get any fleece liners to try?

 

[Cat]

Right bedtime nappy time. Changed the fluffle at Noahs Bathtime so it went 3 hours and it felt like it could have gone more. The liner seemed a it crumpled again so Ireally dont know if they are worth it, but at the same time I dont know how easy its going to be to get noahs 'tar' poo off a fleece liner, or if OH will be prepared to clean one!?!?!

Anyway it was OH's turn to change his first nappy. We opted for a Motherease, with two motherease boosters in it (it seemed to be the biggest/widest nappy but the thinist on its own. With a fleece liner (no disposable) and A motherease airflow wrap (only one that seemed big anouth for a well boosted night nappy) And unbelievably his feed back is that it was easier to put on than a disposable. I checked it afterwards to see he had put it on okay, and it seems a good fit. The advantage is that because Noah likes to be changed standing up with his hands against the wall, with a disposable you need to be able to see where the coloured band is on the front to stick the tabs, where as he could stick the velcro without looking. So it looks like he is definatly happy to use cloth. Although he wasnt impressed with how much Noahs room smelt of poo because they only supplied a wet bag, and the pull cord doesnt close it fully, so I have decided instead to just stick the used nappies straight into the washing machine ready for the rest of the trial. Once I get my own nappies Iwill get a proper lidded nappy pail.

 

[Minxy]

Interested how you get on with your ME at night

There are thin but 'roomy' for stuffing, think that's what Jo uses on Jack.

Well done getting OH on board

 

[Cat]

Right well, Noah got his first change this morning when he got up at 9. So night nappy went 13 hours. The whole nappy was wet and the wee had absorbed evenly throughout the nappy and boosters (unlike a disposable which always ends up just bulging and distorting at the front) The wrap had contained well, but I think I had poppered the legs a little too tight as he had slight red marks on his thighs. But the wrap had done a good job and once again no leaks!
This morning I put him in a bumble which is my least favorite by far, and seems the smallest of them all, at 28lb he looks like it wouldnt last him much longer dispite apprently being a birth to potty nappy. Its also by far the bulkiest, as the fabric is very gathered, I dont think you would even get a booster in it. And the wrap is barely covering it all (motherease Riki wrap) this is prob why its the cheapest nappy of the lot to buy.

This afternoon will be the biggest test as I will be taking him shopping in the city for a few hours so I will have to pack a changing bag with all the essentials!

 

[Cat]

Right well the bumble came off just after lunch at 1:00ish and has actually left red pressure point marks here and there on his hips and legs where bits of ruffled fabric and poppers had left marks. I definatly do not like these nappies and they are out of the running for me.

I popped him in a bamboozle for our shopping trip, fitted nicly under his trousers again today, he went to sleep as soon as we got home and I got him back up at 6:00 so again this nappy happily went 5 hours and was still a bit dry, these nappies are definatly scoring highly with me! I also got a dehumidifier to help with drying for when I do my first wash!

A Motherease went on him for the remainder of the evening with a light booster, I would be interested to know if anyone uses these without a booster during the day as for a two part nappy they seem too thin to use without one at all.

Then finally OHs turn with the night time nappy, this was even easier for him as it was a fluffle, no need to hold a liner in place cause of the built in fleece liner, and the boosters were stuffed in the pocket. The only problem he had was from grouting the bathroom today and cutting his fingers he has plasters on the ends of his index and middle fingers so he couldnt feel to do the poppers up very well!

So thats all the nappies having had a turn. So hopefully tomorrow I will sort out washing lines in the airing cuboard and do my first load of washing!

 

[Cat]

Last night I used a Fluffle overnight with a terry tots bots booster in. Again the nappy lasted a 13 hour night with no leakages. But I noticed that compared to the motherease that was on the previous night when I took it off it held onto the liquid more, so when I sat it down on the window ledge while I changed him it didnt leave a wet mark. Also from working out pricing last night, although the tots bots nappies are both more expensive than the motherease. Because the motherease will requires boosters during the day as well, they actually dont work out any differnt in price.

I have just washed them all for the first time now, something which is also not as expensive as I thought as its recomended that you only use half the normal amount of detergent as normal, to avoid build up on the nappy. So time to see how well they come out and how they dry . . .

 

[Minxy]

Have you washed at 40 or 60 degrees Cat?

 

[Cat]

Oh yeah good point, I washed them at 40 as I read that all of them are suitable for this. Its certainly something worth checking with nappies and wraps when buying as some it says need washing at 60.

Ihave found though that most websites that you purchase nappies from will tell you washing instructions for each.

 

[Minxy]

Let us know how they come up.

It's very naughty and shortens the nappy life but I often put mine through on 60 (whatever the make) as I find 40 can leave some stains.

Here's wishing you clean washing!

 

[Cat]

Right well first wash done. One of the bamboozles apears to have some staining to it inside, so I may have to try washing at 60 next time. The fluffles came out the machine feeling dry and still lovely and soft.
I have rigged up my old airing cuboard with the combi boiler in to make a nappy drying cuboard and will look at putting in some sort of heater for when the central heating isnt on and its raining outside.
https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/-Cat-/DSC00219.jpg

 

[Minxy]

Looking good!

I knew you'd like the Bamboozles, I'm a sucker for anything in Bamboo, it feels so lovely! Here's hoping they dry quick enough for you

 

[beanie]

If one of Seren's gets stained I find bright sunl;ight is ace for bleacing them out. I know at this time of year that can be a problem but it is the best thing ever. I nearly always wash my nappies at 40 degrees, even those that say wash at 60 degrees.

 

[Cat]

Well its the following morning, and the drying is as follows:
The fluffles were completly dry within 1-2 hours of hanging to dry!
The terry and bamboo nappies have both taken much the same amount of time to dry, although one of the bamoozles which was the furthest from the boiler is still not dry and I think it will be a while before it is.

This is making decision making a lot harder for me. I think I will get a little oil radiator in the next day or two ready for the next wash and see what difference it makes. Because the drying process slows down over night because the radiators are off, so the boiler is cold.

 

[LynnieH]

I am really enjoying reading your diary. It is seriously tempting me to give cloth a go. I am just worried about drying! Can these all go in a tumble drier?

 

[Dionne]

such a god idea to do this thread. its helping me loads and fun to read

 

[Cat]

Glad your enjoying reading!

In answer to your question Lynnie, yes you can tumble dry the nappies, but if you were to opt for the fluffles you would find that they air dry within a couple of ours on just indoor airers!

I have made my decision I feel and I love the fluffles they are very fast drying and soft and easy to use Ireally cant fault them. Plus Minxy sent me a link to a site that is doing them with a 10% discount for the month of Feb.

Ihave also been having great fun finding custom designs for wraps which the lovely lady at weenotions is making for me.

Perhaps these cute cloth bum pics of Noah yesterday will help convince you further!
https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/-Cat-/DSC00225.jpg
https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/-Cat-/DSC00227.jpg

 

[Dionne]

he looks soooo cool!!!!

if the drying time was not an issue which would be the best so far?

 

[Cat]

Well it would e a toss up between the bamboozles and the fluffles. The bamboozles are avaliable in colours, so can be washed with coloured stuff and show up stains less, and are a bit slimmer and more sustainable for the environment. But the colour nappies are applix only so cannot be used from birth.

Although I dont think the microfibre on fluffles can stain, they have a built in fleece liner, they are cheaper, they can popper so can be folded to use from birth, and have a pocket for night time stuffing. also cheaper as they do not need to use the power of tumble drying, will never go hard if your in a hard water area.

I just find both fit really well, feel really nice, perform brilliantly and Ireally cant fault them.